Restaurants also eagerly awaited Fresno State corn. Here’s how they’re using it

If you enjoy sinking your teeth into an ear of Fresno State sweet corn, you are going to love what some local restaurants are doing with this classic summertime vegetable.

One of the most hottest corn dishes in Fresno right now is the agnolotti at Annex Kitchen. These buttery little pillows of pasta are filled with Fresno State’s sweet corn and have become a seasonal favorite at the northwest Fresno restaurant.

Chef and owner Jimmy Pardini posted on social media that the dish has made a welcomed return, much to the delight of the restaurant’s customers.

“...thank the lord it’s back!!,” wrote Cosette Vargas on Annex’s Instagram page.

Robin Allen-Maddox posted this: “FIIIINNNAALLLYYYYYY.”

And another Instagram follower named Lydia said that while some people get a kick out of standing in line at the Gibson Farm Market on the day the sweet corn becomes available, she has her own tradition. The day agnolotti is placed on the Annex Kitchen menu, she places an order to go before leaving work.

“Y’all really have no idea how good this is. I was half way through before I remembered to pour a glass of wine. I just couldn’t wait to sink my teeth in,” Lydia wrote.

At Trelio in Clovis, Chef Chris Shackelford is using the sweet corn to make maque choux, a Louisiana staple that he tops with crushed Yukon Gold potatoes and blackened catfish.

“mmmmmmmmm!!!,” wrote Judy Ferguson-Jensen on Trelio’s Facebook page.

Not to be outdone, Fresno State students are also raising sweet corn’s value by using it in a finished product.

For the first time, Fresno State will be rolling out three new corn products, including a mildly spicy salsa and two relishes. One will be spicy and include jalapenos, the other will be on the mild side and have red bell peppers. Also in the works is jalapeno corn bread and corn muffins.

Julia Jepson, instructional technician for Fresno State’s Food Processing Lab, said the new products will arrive at the Gibson Farm Market by mid-July.

This story was originally published June 7, 2017 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Restaurants also eagerly awaited Fresno State corn. Here’s how they’re using it."